Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin’s pairing of Beethoven with Knecht is intelligent, programmatically and musically, but Thierry Fischer’s Symphony fantastique is a disappointing misfire.
Hyperion
Classical Music Album Review: Stephen Hough plays Brahms — The Final Piano Pieces
This CD with British pianist Stephen Hough is a gem — and it was named Recording of the Month by Gramophone Magazine.
Classical CD Reviews: Rattle conducts Bruckner, Jurowski conducts Mahler, and Fischer conducts Saint-Saëns
Simon Rattle’s Bruckner is, on the whole, lean and lively; if you’re looking for a new Mahler Four, Vladimir Jurowski’s is the one to check out; Thierry Fischer leads performances of each symphony that take Saint-Saëns’ writing seriously.
Classical CD Review: Hungarian Composer Ernő Dohnányi — Love at First Listen
This is a gem of a recording, a wonderful introduction to this often overlooked Hungarian composer.
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Classical Music CD Review: “Bach: Toccatas” — A Harpsichord of Feral Energy
In this extraordinary recording, harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani is given a chance to perfectly convey the power of his emotions.
Classical CD Review: Bravo Leoš Janáček — A Marvelous Serving of his Vocal Music
This album led me to choose, for a summer project, to listen to all of the music of Janáček — and it has been a complete delight.
Classical CD Reviews: Music for Horn and Orchestra, Clara Schumann’s Piano Concerto, and the Vienna Philharmonic’s 2019 New Year’s Concert
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Classical CD Reviews: Bernstein Complete Piano Music, “Chaplin’s Smile,” and Parry Piano Trios
A trio of fine discs: Leonard Bernstein’s music for solo piano, Charlie Chaplin’s songs, and Charles Hubert Hastings Parry’s trios.
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Two highly recommended recordings by well-known artists performing some rather off-the-beaten-path repertoire.